Research
Harnessing Technology for
Parkinson’s Research Brain Stimulation May Help
Gait and Cognition
The symptoms and experience of Parkinson’s
vary day to day, hour to hour — one of
the greatest challenges in measuring and
treating the disease. Technology may help.
Researchers recently demonstrated it is
possible to collect objective data using
mobile and wearable devices in PD research.
The MJFF-funded Parkinson@Home Study
lays the groundwork for more scientists to
incorporate digital technology in research.
Now, our Foundation is partnering with
health tech pioneers such as Verily Life
Sciences to add wearable devices to our
landmark Parkinson’s Progression Markers
Initiative study. Data on the daily life of PD,
coupled with the rich clinical data already
collected, could help scientists learn more
about the subtypes and lived experience
of the disease. (Read a movement disorder
specialist’s perspective on how digital health
data can amplify clinical care and research
on page 14.) A recent MJFF-funded study suggests that a
type of non-invasive brain stimulation, called
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS),
may help freezing of gait (sudden inability
to move while walking) and cognitive
(memory and thinking) problems. Current
therapies for these PD symptoms, which
can take a toll on patients’ quality of life, are
limited. Through electrodes placed on the
head, tDCS delivers low levels of electrical
stimulation to specific areas of the brain for
short time periods. Researchers are now
studying tDCS in a larger group of people
with Parkinson’s to evaluate long-term safety
and potential benefits to gait and cognition.
“The Foundation prioritizes funding
innovative strategies such as tDCS, which
may help ease hard-to-treat symptoms,”
said Jamie Eberling, PhD, MJFF director of
research programs at MJFF.
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Spring/Summer 2018